This project will address the need of INIA-West for validating the role of INIA candidate genes in excessive drinking. The RNA Interference Core will provide viral vectors for RNA interference-mediated knockdown or over-expression of candidate genes to INIA-West Investigators. The specific aims of the project are to design short hairpin RNAs (shRNAs) targeting genes of interest and perform in vitro screening of shRNA efficacy, to produce virus expressing shRNAs for gene silencing in specific brain regions or in transgenic animals, to produce virus for over-expression of genes of interest, and to validate the effectiveness of gene silencing or over-expression in vivo. The viral tools developed by the INIA-West RNA Interference Core are crucial to understanding the role of specific genes in regulating excessive alcohol consumption. PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE: The goal of INIA-West is to identify the molecular, cellular, and behavioral changes that occur in specific brain regions that result in excessive alcohol consumption. The RNA Interference Core will provide support to INIA Investigators in reaching this goal by providing the tools necessary to study the role of genes in the brain that contribute to excessive drinking.